I am leaving for camp in 5 days. I am insanely excited, but a little nervous. Mostly, I know I'm going to miss my Joe. I wrote this poem. I call it Distance's Disguise. I'm not sure, though. Should it be one longer poem, or should I scratch the first three stanzas and just keep the final stanza? Eh. For now, it's one long poem. Enjoy.

I hope you find everything

you're searching for

while you're looking worlds away;

everything that comes out

simply seems so cliched

so I guess my feelings must be

universal.

But this country is still

so big

and you're still so far away,

and knowing someone

has felt this before

doesn't comfort me

at all.

I'm already dreaming

of your return,

and it's only been a week;

I can't wrap my head around the thoughts

of you being so far away.

I'm like a child

thinking you can fly home

to spend lazy Sunday afternoons

playing boardgames in the basement

but my head won't let those thoughts

stay long enough to make

any kind of impression.

I hope that you're happy

and that you'll never forget

this small town.
I hope you'll come back

for our traditional dinner;

for my birthday and great grandma's house

for Christmas Eve.

Where will you be

this year at Christmas?

And how will I survive

next Sunday,

without you?

   Hovering over winding roads,

we say our goodbyes,

until next time,

but we don't know when next time

might find us.

I hope you'll think of me

when you're the coolest kids

at your new schools,

and you have your new lives,

without me.

This town will never be the same

without you,

and no matter how hard I try,

I can't find a good thing about it.

I hope you find

everything you've ever dreamed of

   and I pray one day

you'll find your way

back home,

to me.

This is just goodbye,

until next time,

until next time.